Today we went on a long-delayed visit to see James' mom and sister; after a nice sleep-in, we left about 10:30, stopping by Burger King for breakfast (my usual: Cinni-Minis without that noxious frosting, orange juice and milk). It was already so hazy that when we got on the freeway we could only see the blurry silhouettes of the buildings downtown, almost bluish smoky masses. It remained hot and stifling all day.

We listened to a "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" and a "Splendid Table" on the way down to Warner Robins, almost the perfect length for the ride, concluding just as we got to the exit. It was an unremarkable ride except for passing mile marker 196, about the halfway point of the ride, where great swathes of trees were mown down or showing splintered, bent, or bowing trunks in clear signs of a tornado having passed through some days or weeks earlier.

We presented Mom with some gifts upon arrival, including the little souvenirs we brought back for her from the Yankee Candle flagship store last October which we'd forgotten at Christmas: belated birthday and Mother's Day gifts, including books, two three-DVD movie sets (one of Sam Elliot and the other of Tom Selleck), a pair of slippers into which a microwaveable or chilled pad can be inserted, some homemade cherry preserves, and a little trinket that said "My mother: my first friend." We then sat chatting and watching the idiot box until it was well past the noon hour and we could go out to eat without facing crowds.

We had lunch at Cheddars, which was quite good. James and I had a potato skin appetizer, and I had a cup of potato soup and an Asian chicken/shrimp salad. We passed on dessert, though, as we were quite stuffed.

Then back to the house until about six o'clock. We emerged to darkening skies, and, after a stop at Baskin-Robbins for dessert, went on to run into a booming and very bright thunderstorm just south of Macon where the I-475 bypass splits off. We usually take I-475 and were poured on the entire length of the road. After that the route was damp for a while, then dried rapidly. On the way back we listened to another "Splendid Table" and last week's "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me," which featured Bill Clinton playing "Not My Job." They asked him questions about the new My Little Pony revival, which had also been the real story in the "pick the actual news story" segment of the show. Apparently there are scores of young male fans of the new series who are called "bronies" (a portmanteau word of "brother" and "ponies"). Well, that's fandom for ya.

Came home to get cool, interact with Schuyler, and read UnSpun, which was a book I spotted on the "required summer reading" racks at Borders last year, but didn't buy. It's about critical thinking of "spin," whether political or advertising. Now watching The Revolution, but really ready to revolve into bed...